Summary
pnpm: Git Fetch Argument Injection via Lockfile resolution.commit
pnpm passes the lockfile-controlled git resolution.commit value to git fetch without a -- separator or commit-format validation. For git dependencies fetched through the shallow-fetch path, a malicious lockfile can replace the expected 40-character commit hash with a Git option such as --upload-pack=<command>. For SSH and local transports, --upload-pack can execute the supplied command. HTTPS transports ignore --upload-pack, so the practical attack surface is primarily SSH or local git dependencies.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerable path is in fetching/git-fetcher/src/index.ts. When a git dependency host is configured for shallow fetching, pnpm calls:
await execGit(['fetch', '--depth', '1', 'origin', resolution.commit], { cwd: tempLocation })
Because resolution.commit is appended before a -- separator, Git can parse a commit value beginning with - as an option. The same file later passes the value to git checkout without a separator:
await execGit(['checkout', resolution.commit], { cwd: tempLocation })
resolution.commit comes from the lockfile and is typed as a plain string; pnpm does not validate it as a 40-character hexadecimal commit before passing it to Git.
Proof of Concept
bash autofyn_audit/exploits/vuln11_git_upload_pack_rce/exploit.sh
# Creates a local bare git repo and triggers the shallow-fetch path.
# Replaces the lockfile commit hash with '--upload-pack=touch /tmp/vuln11_pwned'.
# Result: PASS -- /tmp/vuln11_pwned created by injected touch command.
The PoC uses a local file://githost/... repository because the injection requires a local or SSH transport. HTTPS transport ignores --upload-pack.
Suggested Remediation
Add a -- separator before lockfile-controlled git revision values. Validate resolution.commit matches /^[0-9a-f]{40}$/i before passing to Git.
Discovered by AutoFyn
Full audit report: audit_report.md
Exploit script: exploit.sh
Impact
Code execution as the user running pnpm install, under specific transport conditions. The attacker must modify pnpm-lock.yaml, and the affected dependency must use SSH or local git transport. HTTPS transport (the common case) is immune.
CVE-2026-50014 has a CVSS score of 6.4 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (10.34.0, 11.4.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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pnpm to 10.34.0 or later; pnpm to 11.4.0 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-50014? CVE-2026-50014 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in pnpm (npm), affecting versions < 10.34.0. It is fixed in 10.34.0, 11.4.0.
- How severe is CVE-2026-50014? CVE-2026-50014 has a CVSS score of 6.4 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of pnpm are affected by CVE-2026-50014? pnpm (npm) versions < 10.34.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-50014? Yes. CVE-2026-50014 is fixed in 10.34.0, 11.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-50014 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-50014 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-50014 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-50014?
- Upgrade
pnpmto 10.34.0 or later - Upgrade
pnpmto 11.4.0 or later
- Upgrade